This article is specifically about after-market GPS receivers. You know, the kind you see on people's dashboards. I'm not talking about the in-dash variety, nor am I talking about the hand-held variety--the kind you take hiking.
GPS receivers have really caught on lately. And with the spike in gas prices, I think they'll be a hot item for quite a while. They sell anywhere from $200 to almost $1,000. But with gas at over $4.00 a gallon, that could easily pay for itself!
The best way to understand how to pick out the right GPS receiver is to do a quick auto gps comparison. Let's talk about who the best manufacturers for these things are, and then about the features you get when you buy one.
There are three main manufacturers of GPS receivers, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. All three make a great product, and all three are very competitive with each other both on features and price. Garmin is the industry leader. Magellan was actually one of the first companies to figure out this technology, and Tom Tom is the new kid on the block.
When you buy a GPS receiver, you get the same basic features.
All GPS devices can do the following:
* Show you were you are on an electronic map * Tell you where to turn to get to where you want to go * Interface with you via a touch screen * Tell you where certain things are like gas stations, restaurants, and other Points of Interest (POIs) * Include maps of the lower 48 US states * Calculate the shortest or fastest route
So, even the cheapest GPS receiver can do all of this. If that's all you need, then you can get a device that can do this for right around $150!
But before you buy, you might want to think about some of these cool upgraded features. For not too much more money, your GPS receiver can do a whole lot more.
For more money you can get:
* More extensive maps, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and Europe * Bigger screen * Bluetooth technology integrated in the system, for hands-free calling * Real-time traffic and weather * FM transmission, so you can hear your device through your car's own stereo sound system * Much larger and more extensive POI database * Multiple route calculation, so you can enter more than one destination in at one time
These upgrades are worth looking into. You can get a lot of this stuff for under $350! That might be money well spent, because you're going to be happier with your choice and want to keep it for a longer time--before you trade it in for a more powerful model.
Now that you're read this auto gps comparison, your next step is to find an informative website where you can read about individual devices and learn more about prices.
Your family is the most important thing to you, and yet when you get out on the road, something happens. You are late, or lost, or both, and you just cant seem to find your way back, so the bickering begins. It has happened to almost every family, but the auto GPS unit has put a stop to this time honored tradition of arguing over who will or will not ask for directions.
The setup is so common that it is a staple of the standup comedy routine. The man refuses to ask for directions. The woman begs him. They fight. This scenario simply does not happen when there is a soothing voice telling the driver to turn at the next intersection, or to prepare to exit the highway shortly. That extra passenger in the car may be electronic, but he/she/it goes a long way toward keeping the peace.
This is true for family road trips as well. For once, the auto GPS unit is doing the navigating for you, and the family is free to talk, catch up on each others lives, and play games with one another rather than have their faces buried in a map trying to figure out where they are. More than one trip has been ruined by a fight that began with accusations about who told who to turn where, and became an argument about something else entirely. How often have you heard someone ask why the family even went on vacation at all, if they were not going to have any fun?
Having a GPS is akin to having a servant who takes care of the one thing that bothers you most about driving (other than waiting in traffic, of course). Not knowing where you are or not knowing how to get where you need to be.
All this stress being lifted from the driver and the navigator has a tangible effect on the success of the family vacation, and on the relationships between driver and passengers even on short trips. The simple fact of knowing where you are can be an amazing shot of relaxation right during the pressures associated with trying to operate a motor vehicle.
For once, the trip really is about the journey and not the destination, because the destination was already chosen, plotted, and provided to the auto GPS unit, and all the driver needs to do is drive, and enjoy the company within the car.
Both Lee Cole & Phoenix Delray are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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